Elementary School Principal Quits After Six Months Paid Administrative Leave

Mesfun Quits,  Emery on the Hook for $100,000 Superintendent Assumes Responsibility The Tattler has learned controversial Anna Yates Elementary School principal, Russom Mesfun has quit his job effective January 1st, having served not one day on the job, even though he has drawn pay, close to $66,000, from the Emery Unified School District up until that date.  The total amount the District could be out for no work performed by Mr Mesfun probably is in excess of $100,000 after attorney fees are considered. District Superintendent John Rubio, who defied warnings from parents and teachers by hiring Mr Mesfun told the Tattler last July he assumes full responsibility for the hire after a Google search of Mr Mesfun's past revealed a plethora of charges against him including a successful lawsuit brought by teachers filed against a school district who had hired him.   Charges also included harassment of teachers under Mr Mesfun's charge at several previous districts where he was an employee. Superintendent John Rubio Likely cost the District more than $100,000 over the Mesfun debacle. Emery Superintendent Rubio would only report Russom Mesfun has been on "paid administrative leave" at Emery up until now. As the School Board considered whether to give Mr Mesfun their OK at a regular Board meeting last summer, Mr Rubio told them Mr Mesfun would make an outstanding principal.  The Board voted 4-1 to hire him with only new member Christian Patz holding out, sternly warning his colleagues against the hire.   Superintendent Rubio seemed to acknowledge Mr Patz's warnings when he assured the Board members he would have the new Anna Yates principal "on a short leash".  The leash was indeed short, leading only up to the first day of school last August, where Mr Mesfun was a no show.  The District still will not say why Mr Mesfun never materialized after his hiring but rumors have swirled around Emery that he had harassed teachers before the academic school year started last August.  The District has since hired a new principal for Anna Yates Elementary School. The District this week is paying a law firm over $31,000, a large percentage likely earmarked to freeing the District from Mr Mesfun, bringing the total cost to Emery for Mr Rubio's bungled hiring of Russom Mesfun, likely over $100,000, or almost $200 per student, the cost of a Chromebook.